WITH VIDEO: Polar Plunge raises $35,000 for Special Olympics Michigan

Brad Lowe/ Staff Photographer
Participants dressed up as the seven dwarfs, gave the crowd lots of entertainment on Saturday afternoon at Rose Pond to help raise money for the Special Olympians, during summer games. Trained Firefighters and Policemen kept things running smoothly and safe.

Charlie Brown and a banana were just two of the characters to take an icy plunge on Saturday.

The Special Olympics Michigan collected $35,000 with the support of 195 people who were brave enough to jump into Rose Pond Saturday at Central Michigan University.

Mount Pleasant resident Nathan Jonaitis collected the largest contribution of almost $5,200.

Dressed up as a shower, he said this is his sixth time participating and he always tries to be original with his costume.

“I started it because they started doing it in Mount Pleasant and it’s something I always wanted to do,” Jonaitis said. “Then I got such a good response from people and from raising money, so I kept doing it. I’m pretty competitive.”

Canton junior Jenny Muscat and Royal Oak senior Tricia Clemons laugh as they watch a video of themselves jumping into Rose Pond Saturday during the 2012 Polar Plunge. The temperature was only 32 degrees at the time of their jump.
Erica Kearns/Staff Photographer